Author Notes
I'm beginning to think I should call my husband the Grad School Gourmet. This red lentil and rice dish was a cheap and nutritious take on a pilaf or biryani that got him through those years. I've dolled it up with a little preserved lemon and pomegranate. —dailywaffle
Ingredients
- For the Lentils and Rice
-
1/2 cup
red lentils, rinsed and picked over
-
1/2 cup
basmati rice, rinsed
-
1
medium onion, diced
-
3
cloves garlic, minced, divided
-
3 teaspoons
ground cumin
-
1 teaspoon
ground coriander
-
1 pinch
ground cinnamon
-
1 pinch
ground allspice
-
1 pinch
ground cloves
-
1 3/4 cups
boiling water
-
1 teaspoon
kosher salt
-
1 tablespoon
olive oil
- Yogurt Sauce
-
1/2
Greek yogurt (full fat recommended)
-
juice of half a lemon
-
1 tablespoon
finely diced preserved lemon
-
1/4 cup
pomegranate arils (for garnish)
-
cilantro leaves (for garnish)
Directions
-
Heat a 2-qt. sauce pan over medium heat. Add olive oil to pan. Cook onions until lightly browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, stirring constantly.
-
Stir in spices and cook until fragrant. You don't want them to stick and burn on the bottom of the pan. Add the lentils and rice and stir to coat in the spices. Pour in the boiling water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork when done.
-
To make the yogurt sauce, combine yogurt, lemon juice, the remaining minced garlic and a pinch of kosher salt. The sauce should be thinned, but not watery. Garnish with preserved lemon (rind only).
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Garnish the lentils and rice with pomegranate arils, cilantro leaves (if using) and serve with yogurt sauce.
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